By Myself
by Vlaatjee
Summary: -SHORT STORY- "No one should be alone when being in pain, silent one. Take my hand, share your pain and I will carry it with you. Only then forever can begin." A little Vinnie-X-Charley fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**By Myself**

_-SHORT STORY-  
"No one should be alone when being in pain, silent one. Take my hand, share your pain and I will carry it with you. Only then forever can begin."  
A little Vinnie-X-Charley fluff. _

Hey y'all.

So, I can almost hear you guys think: "_Another_ short story? What about the other stories?"  
Well, I'm not sure if you guys think that -how can I?- but in my head you do.  
Lemme explain.  
For starters, you need to know that I struggle with severe mental health issues and one of my many problems is that I have mood swings to the extreme.  
My writing goes hand in hand with my moods, I guess it's safe to say that my mood determines what I write.

Look at it this way:  
Writing_ Lost In The Echo_ and _Shadow Of The Day_ is like walking a paved road, maybe there are a few small detours, but you always end up on that same road, no matter what.  
Writing a one-shot or a short story is like standing in the middle of a huge field without any sort of directions and so, you can walk wherever you like and however you like. Long story short, you're free to do whatever you want.  
Writing is very important to me. It's a way to express myself, to bring order in the chaos that's called my mind.  
But lately, it's hard to stay on the paved road. I need some time in the field from time to time.  
To just write what I want, without screwing up a whole storyline that is the paved road.  
I tend to do that, sometimes.

So, in other words; writing one-shots and short stories prevent me from screwing up my big stories and helps me to find peace in my head.  
And when the time is there or better said; when my mood allows it, I'll continue the other two stories.  
It just gonna take some more time. In the meantime, I can give you guys at least something.

I hope all this makes sense, hehe.  
It's hard to explain sometimes.

**SpaceFlora**: First of all, I wanna use this moment to thank you for being so loyal, friendly and understanding. It really means a lot to me.  
Above explanation is also an answer to your question of how I'm able to write this much; I'm sick, so I'm not able to work at the moment.  
Therefore I'm home a lot and since writing is about the only way I'm able to -really- express myself, I write a lot, hehe.  
So that's why.

And I like it to share it with all of you who read my stories.  
Makes me feel less alone.  
So, please know that I'm not telling this so you guys can feel sorry for me.  
Please don't, that's the last thing I want.  
I just wanted to explain myself a little.

Oh, and I'm sorry for One More Light, I was in a very bad place when I wrote that one, lol.  
But I've decided to leave it this way.  
It can't always be a happy end.  
Makes it a bit more realistic, from time to time, ya know what I mean?  
Not that giant humanoid mice from outer space riding a bike while being in war with big talking fish is the definite of realistic, hehe, but you get the point.  
Thanks for the reviews on that story, btw. :)

**Anyway, anyhow...  
**This little story takes place right after "Once Upon A Time On Mars".  
I'm not sure how many chapters there will be, at least two since I already wrote both of them.  
But the second one still needs some perfection time, so let's just start with the first, which is a lot shorter than you guys are used to, btw.  
See it as a prologue.  
_Damn_, I talk a lot.  
This whole explanation acceptance speech... _thingy_ is a chapter in itself, bwahaha.

So, as usual, a new story means...

**Disclaimers  
**1\. I don't own the Biker Mice From Mars.  
2\. English isn't my first language, so I'm sure there will be some grammatical mistakes, my apologies in advance.

Guys, enjoy the story and know that reviews are always very much appreciated.  
Keeps me motivated to upload here.  
Because as you now know, at this point it's kind of all I have.

Okay, I'm gonna shut up now.  
Man...

Later dudes!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The clear sky above the city of Chicago, Illinois slowly darkened as clouds began to form.  
Shadows fell over the outskirts of the Windy City, but one hardly noticed for it was the middle of the night.  
Most of the people were fast asleep, for a moment escaped from the big bad world outside, all living their dream.  
And so too did Charley, although she was one of the few exceptions who wasn't living her dream, simply because nightmares needed to stay nightmares.  
No one wanted a nightmare to become reality, for it was already hard enough to just lie in bed and wait helplessly till the horror was over.  
To wait for the moment to wake up and realize it was just a nightmare.

_Just a nightmare_...

As the storm slowly came closer, ready to release hell right above the city, Charley twisted and turned in her bed, her mind replaying the things she'd learned today.  
It was a lot to take in, so it didn't come as a surprise that she was having a nightmare instead of peacefully living her dream.  
It was a way for the mind to process the dark sides of life.  
And there were a _lot_ of dark sides in the mice their lives.  
It was then when a loud scream made the human female almost jump out of her skin and she flew upright, her green eyes wide open.  
She looked wildly around her, her heart racing, desperately searching for the source of this sudden wake-up call.  
Noise was heard downstairs and she blinked a few times before it dawned upon her.  
The mice.  
Something was up.  
Still yawning, but somehow grateful to be awakened from her restless sleep, she slid out of bed and quickly grabbed some clothes.  
After reliving some pretty tense moments of their lives today, Charley had offered them to spend the night here, at the garage.  
She wasn't entirely sure why, since the mice acted like this had been just an ordinary day, but something had told her to keep them close.  
Maybe it was the sadness she'd seen in Modo's eye.  
Maybe it was the sound of despair she'd heard in Throttle's voice when he was telling their story.  
Or maybe it was Vinnie's slip of the tongue when he intended to say her name.  
She didn't know.  
But whatever the reason may be, she'd asked them to stay.  
And they did.

Just when she put on her blouse, she heard a sound she would recognize anywhere.  
It was a bike that started its powerful engine, more specific; Vinnie's bike.  
The sound of squealing tires followed and Charley quickly rushed downstairs, but only to find Throttle and Modo sitting in the small kitchen that was attached to the workspace of the garage.  
One of the motorized shutters was already closing again, but not before she could feel how the wind picked up as it blew cold air into the garage, the sound of thunder roaring in the distance.  
She wrapped her blouse tighter around her body as she stopped next to the table where both Modo and Throttle sat.  
"What's going on? Shouldn't you go after him?", she asked worriedly, pointing with her thumb at the door that was now closed again.  
But Throttle calmly shook his head.  
"Nah, it's better to leave him alone for now."  
Charley gave him a confused look, not understanding why the tan-furred mouse didn't take action.  
Out of the three of them, Vinnie was the most unpredictable one and it didn't seem to be a good idea to let him ride out on his own, without someone to keep an eye on him.  
More to the point: without someone to stop him from doing something stupid.  
This was Vinnie they were talking about.  
And Vinnie had the tendency to do stupid things.  
That was nothing more but a fact.  
"Why?"  
"He's not really approachable after having one of his nightmares, Charley ma'am", Modo answered that question.  
"Nightmares?", she asked even more confused. "Vinnie has nightmares?"  
She had no idea.  
"Yeah… It's been a while, though, since the last time it happened", Throttle responded a bit vague.  
"Maybe it has something to do with today, ya know… telling our story. Maybe it triggered something again", Modo shrugged.  
So far for acting like it was an ordinary day.  
Her hunch was right.  
This day was far from ordinary.  
"You guys don't seem to be surprised, or worried for that matter", Charley said slowly, still confused about their laid-back reaction.  
Throttle heaved a sigh.  
"You make it sound like we don't care, but we do. Look, I know we don't talk much about this stuff, but the war… The war affected us all. We _all_ have nightmares, one worse than the other. It's not the first time this happens and it won't be the last time either. He just needs some time to grab himself together, that's all."  
But Charley wasn't convinced.  
"There's a storm coming. He's out there, all alone. He shouldn't be alone right now…"  
Modo rose on his feet and when he stood in front of her, he gently took her hand.  
"You care, Charley ma'am, we know you do. And we're grateful for that, we really are. But right now, that's exactly what he needs. Some alone time."  
"The big fella is right, babe. He'll be fine. Why don't you go back to sleep? It's been a rough day", Throttle added.  
See?  
Skip ordinary.  
They meant well, she knew they did.  
They probably were right too.  
They were his bro's, after all.  
His family.  
They knew him better than she did, perhaps even better than he knew himself.  
If both Throttle and Modo told her that he just needed some time, he just needed some time.  
It was as simple as that.

_Was it?_

The wind now howled around the building, making the windows rattle in their frame.  
Charley felt a shiver running down her spine and walked over to the window.  
She tried to look outside, to catch a glimpse of the situation, but it was too dark.  
All she saw was her reflection staring back at her.  
Ever since she was a kid, storms always made her feel a bit uneasy.  
It wasn't that she was scared, but the sound of the howling wind gave her the feeling something bad was about to happen, she just didn't know what and when.  
Till this day, nothing ever happened, though.  
But just the thought that Vinnie was out there, all alone, hurting…  
It made her somehow sick to the stomach.  
And so she made a decision.  
"I'm going after him."

Turning around, she avoided looking at Throttle and Modo because she didn't want to give them a chance to stop her.  
Because she knew they would try.  
They always wanted to protect her, one way or another.  
A thing she was grateful for.  
But sometimes, life was about taking risks.  
The mice didn't want her to take risks, which was almost hypocrite.  
They took life-threatening risks on daily bases.  
So why couldn't she?  
Besides, this was hardly even exiting.  
A storm she would survive and an upset white-furred Martian Mouse…  
Well, she could handle him.  
He would never do anything to hurt her, that she knew for sure.  
They were friends.  
And friends took care of each other.  
_That _was as simple as that.

She quickly grabbed her jacket and helmet and put both on.  
When she mounted her bike, Throttle suddenly popped up next to her and laid his hand on her arm.  
Charley braced herself, expecting him to stop her, but he didn't.  
He only asked one question.  
"You know where to find him?"  
Unable to hide her surprise, she looked up at him.  
He looked back at her, more serious than she had ever seen him before and that was saying something.  
Throttle could be very serious.  
Most of the time, he was.  
Although he did have the same wild side as his two bro's had, he just didn't show it that often.  
But it was in there, alright.  
It was hard to find at this very moment, though.  
Despite his glasses, she felt how his intense gaze almost burned a hole in her skull.  
Fighting the urge to flinch under his strict look, Charley nodded as an answer to his question.  
His face expression softened and he patted her lovingly on the helmet.  
"Be careful out there, babe. Let us know when you need help, okay?"  
"Will do", she answered, still not knowing what had just happened but she gave herself no time to think about it any longer.  
Her friend needed her.  
The door opened, letting in the wind and Charley zipped her jacket up to her chin when she felt how cold it actually was.  
But that wasn't gonna stop her either.  
Nothing was.  
"Don't wait up, guys. It's been a rough day for both of you too."  
And without waiting for an answer, she revved her bike and drove into the dark and ominous night.

"Shouldn't we go with her?", Modo asked worriedly.  
"Nah. I've got this feeling telling me that only Charley is capable of getting through to him and she seems to know it too. Let's give her the chance to prove it, without an audience", Throttle answered.  
Modo still had that worried look on his face when he pushed the button to close the door.  
Charley was like a sister to him and letting her drive into the storm ran counter with his protective and responsible side.  
"I hope you're right, bro, I hope you're right."  
Throttle patted his large bro on the back.  
"That makes two of us, big fella."

The tan-furred mouse knew he was taking a risk.  
They usually did everything within their power to keep Charley out of trouble, simply because they cared about her.  
But sometimes, one needed to take a risk.  
To let fate decide what happens next.  
Besides, stopping Charley was like mission impossible, stubborn as she was.  
Maybe she was right, though.  
No one should be alone.  
Not even when that particular mouse claimed otherwise...

* * *

_Do I follow my instincts blindly or do I hide my pride from these bad dreams and give in to the sad thoughts that are maddening?  
__Do I sit here and try to stand it or do I try to catch them red-handed?  
__Do I trust some and get fooled by phoniness or do I trust nobody and live in loneliness?  
__Because I can't hold on when I'm stretched so thin.  
__I make the right moves but I'm lost within.  
__I put on my daily facade but then I just end up getting hurt again by myself.  
__I can't rely on myself. _

_-By Myself-  
__Linkin Park_


	2. Chapter 2

Hey you guys.

Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favs!  
I also received a couple of PM's, thanks!  
And of course, **Youkai55**: a special thanks for you. Your support is endless, your heart is big.  
Thank you so much for being there for me.  
Always.  
You know it means a lot to me :)

Anyway, on with the story!  
Hope you guys like it.  
Enjoy! ^^

* * *

**Chapter 2**

Slowly but steady, Charley made her way to Lake Michigan.  
It wasn't exactly a leisurely drive, with the wind trying to knock over her bike, but come on, she wasn't a beginner.  
She knew perfectly well how to ride a bike, in _all_ kind of weather conditions.  
That the mice never let her was just a whole other story.  
You should think that she had more than just proven herself with the whole masked motorcyclist debacle, but they still treated her like she was made of glass.  
_Cracked_ glass, that would shatter into a million pieces with the slightest touch.  
She was so much stronger than that.  
At least she knew.  
But, beginner or not, she had to take it slow right now.  
It would be nuts to put the pedal to the medal in this weather.  
She wasn't crazy, after all.  
She wasn't Vinnie.

In the distance the already black sky darkened even more, telling her that the storm was about to reach Chicago.  
Lightings reflected in the water of the lake, making it look even more sinister than it already was.  
"_Of course_ he needs to take off in the middle of the night with a major storm coming instead of, I dunno, a warm summer night for example", she grumbled to herself, but she wasn't really angry.  
She was worried.  
Worried about her friend.  
The storm was just... collateral damage.

When she was close to the place where she and the mice used to hang out in the summer, the first raindrops started to fall.  
Knowing that getting wet was inevitable, she determinedly steered her bike on the unpaved road that led to the small beach which was thoroughly hidden between the trees.  
She knew he was there.  
This was the one place not many people knew about and therefore, it was the perfect hangout for intergalactic heroes with their human side-kick.  
Or the perfect hideout after a night full of terror and fear.  
It was then when the sky opened its floodgates and rain now poured down on her, turning the sand under her wheels into mud within seconds.  
But it wasn't gonna stop her.  
Nothing was.

When she finally spotted Vinnie's bike, she was already soaked to the skin.  
After parking her bike next to the cherry-red racer, she pulled off her helmet and looked at the lonely silhouette sitting close to the water.  
There he was.  
All alone.  
No one should be alone when being in pain.

And so, she slid off her bike and slowly walked over to him.  
Vinnie sat with his back towards her, his arms wrapped around his legs.  
With his chin resting on his knees, he just stared into the distance with his big ears hanging low.  
Even his antennas hung low, dangling like a cracked blade of grass.  
The rain didn't seem to bother him, or maybe he was just too deep in thought to notice it.  
He didn't seem to notice her either when she quietly sat down next to him in the mud.  
The rain _did_ bother her, but it wasn't gonna stop her.  
Nothing was.

After taking in the same position as him, Charley rested her cheek on her knees and looked at him.  
The first thing that hit her, was that she had never seen him this sad.  
Or this quiet.  
Or this motionless.  
He was always so… _bouncy_.  
Like a bouncing ball.  
Not now he wasn't.  
Now, a deflated balloon was a more apt comparison.  
The rain turned his usual snow-white fur almost grey, or perhaps silver came closer.  
It also made the muscles that were hidden beneath it more visible and her eyes followed the lines from his shoulder to his hand.  
He was so strong.  
_Fearless_.  
But not now.

"Are you okay?"  
She knew he wasn't.  
But she had to ask.  
Even though she knew he wasn't gonna answer beforehand, she still had to ask.  
She was right, though.  
Of course she was.  
He didn't answer the question.  
What he did was turning his head towards her and his ruby-red eyes locked with hers.  
Raindrops slid down his now spiky fur and she saw how a few of them got stuck in his lashes, preventing them from falling into his eyes.  
His sad eyes.  
He blinked before turning back his head, thereby freeing the drops from their short captivity and they slowly rolled down his cheek.  
Like it were salt tears instead of sweet raindrops.  
He wasn't okay.  
Far from it.

Charley shifted a bit closer to him and followed his gaze over the lake.  
It was a beautiful yet gloomy sight, how the lightning rained down and enlightened the water as if it was on fire.  
How the water reflected the dark sky, making it look blacker than the space the clouds moved through.  
The thunder was so loud that it made the ground tremble beneath them.  
But not a creature was stirred.  
Not even a mouse.

"You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to", Charley said calmly without turning her gaze away from the impressive spectacle Mother Nature was giving them.  
"I just want you to know that you can, though. Talk to me. But only when you're ready."  
She saw his left ear twitch out of the corner of her eye and a small smile curled her lips.  
A Martian Mouse was so much easier to read than a human.  
Their oversized ears, their long tail, even their fur… there was always something that gave away a sign.  
Some more clear than the other.  
But after living with them for years now, Charley had learned to read _all_ the signs, small or big.  
Therefore she knew he was listening to her.  
Good.  
That was all she needed from him.  
So she could let him know that he wasn't alone.  
No one should be alone.

"Vinnie… it's okay, you know. It's okay to not be okay. You don't have to go through your pain all by yourself. Everyone needs a little help sometimes. That's nothing to be ashamed of."  
She felt him shift his weight a little and she peeked at him out of the corner of her eye, knowing that direct eye contact could chase him away.  
She found him glancing back at her from under his lashes, his eyes burning with suspicion.  
And pain.  
So much pain.  
She fought the urge to just pull him in her arms and hold him tightly, because she knew that was the last thing he wanted right now.  
He did _need_ it, though.  
But that was a whole other story.

The look in his eyes told her she was coming close.  
_Too _close, actually.  
So, she turned her gaze away again to give him back some space and that was the beginning of a long, but not awkward silence.  
Which was fine.  
She wasn't here to tell him what he needed.  
Or to force him to talk about what was bothering him.  
All that mattered to Charley was that he wasn't alone.  
No one should be alone.

The storm raged on and she lost track of time.  
It was strangely comforting to just stare into the distance, to watch the lighting show off its merry way as if Thor himself was behind the controls.  
A gust of wind pulled on her wet clothes and before she could stop it, the cold of it made her shiver.  
She pulled her legs closer to her body in an attempt to stay warm, but it hardly worked.  
"You cold?"  
Vinnie's voice broke her out of her trance, and she couldn't help herself but notice how different it sounded.  
Deep.  
Even a bit hoarse.  
Devoid of its usual high tones.  
It gave her goosebumps.  
"A little."

For a moment, nothing happened, making her think he was already with his mind elsewhere again.  
A thing she was okay with.  
After all, he already had enough on his mind.  
She didn't want him to worry about her.  
No.  
Not now it was crystal clear that it was _him_ they needed to worry about.  
He wouldn't agree, though.  
So she kept that thought to herself.  
As long as he wasn't alone.  
No one should be alone.

Suddenly, she felt him lean closer to her and she forced herself to avoid eye contact, somehow scared to ruin this moment before it even could _become_ a moment.  
But then again, was it even gonna _be_ a moment or was she running ahead of herself?  
At this point, she had no idea.  
Vinnie slowly put his left arm around her and after another hesitation, he pulled her closer to him.  
Despite his wet fur, his body still radiated a surprising amount of heat and without thinking, she crawled even closer to him.

It was strange.  
Strange, how the fur of a dog released a certain scent when getting wet.  
Truth to be told, a wet dog reeked like hell.  
But not Vinnie.  
She knew his scent.  
She'd smelled it many times already.  
Musky sandalwood with a hint of vanilla.  
Closing her eyes, she took a deep but inconspicuous breath through the nose.  
His scent was even stronger now his fur was wet.  
God, he smelled good being wet.  
Weird.  
But true.  
And yep.  
It was _definitely _a moment.  
No doubt about that.

Something wrapped around her leg that she knew was his tail.  
The gesture was gentle, almost lovingly.  
It gave her the weird and sudden urge to cry.  
This was a side of Vinnie she did not know.  
Well, she knew he had it in him, but he didn't show it that often.  
Rarely.  
Of course he looked after her.  
In his own way, he did.  
They all did.  
She knew he cared about her.  
They all cared.  
Mostly Vinnie.  
She'd seen it in his eyes the many times he'd saved her out of Limburger's cruel hands.  
She'd felt it the countless times he'd wrapped his tail around her waist while driving.  
But this… this felt different.  
Pure.  
_Real_.

"Better?", he asked softly and she looked up at him, she just couldn't stop herself.  
This was the closest they'd ever been.  
Well, that's not entirely true.  
There was this one time when Limburger tried to take down her garage...  
But that too was different.  
That was adrenaline.  
Celebrating a victory, even if it was just a small one.  
It was still a victory.

Although it had been the first time that she'd felt the chemistry between them.  
What she didn't know back then was that it wouldn't be the last time either.  
She knew now.  
There was just something about him that did something to her.  
She couldn't name it, though.  
It was just always around.  
A certain… _attraction_.

His eyes were even more beautiful from up close, she now saw.  
Not just red, no…  
His irises were made of numerous shades of red, blend to create the most intriguing eyes she'd ever seen.  
"Better", she whispered back and before she would possibly drown in his eyes, she rested her head against his shoulder.  
His _strong_ shoulder.  
He was so strong.  
Fearless_.  
__Caring_.

They both stared at the lake again, watching how the storm continued its way to haunt other towns and states.  
The heavy rainfall slowly turned into a drizzle.  
"Looks like the storm is over", Charley mentioned, but they both didn't move.  
Something was stopping her.  
She felt remarkably safe in his arms.  
Besides, she wasn't going anywhere until he was ready to face the world again.  
Even if that would take him the whole night.  
As long as he wasn't alone.  
No one should be alone.

Vinnie suddenly took a deep breath.  
"I'm not...", he started, but then trailed off again.  
She glanced up at him, but he avoided her look and opened his mouth again.  
"...okay. You… you asked me if I was okay. I'm not… I'm _not_ okay."  
Charley looked back at the lake.  
Even though she already knew that he was far from okay, hearing him say it out loud with that tone in his -still low- voice made her feel so sad all of a sudden.  
He was in pain.  
And she suddenly wished she could take it all away.  
Just like that.  
But she couldn't.  
That she knew.  
All she could do, was to be there for him.

And so she did.  
Slowly, her right hand let go of her leg and reached out.  
After a short hesitation, she gently took his hand.  
His warm hand.  
Their fingers entwined with a certain ease, as if they did this on a daily bases.  
But the truth was, they didn't.  
This was entirely new for both of them and yet, it felt so familiar.  
_Safe.  
_She squeezed softly in his hand, to let him know that she was here.  
That he wasn't alone.  
No one should be alone.

Vinnie lowered his gaze and looked at their entwined hands.  
His whole appearance radiated sadness and pain, his bravado nowhere to be found.  
It broke Charley's heart.  
Poor, _poor_ Vinnie.  
"Is it… is it about Harley?", she asked with caution.  
She had to ask.  
She'd seen his pain when Throttle told her about the female mouse.  
How his ears drooped at the part about her disappearance.  
He'd even called her Harley.  
By mistake, of course.  
She didn't blame him, of course she didn't.  
Like she said, it was the biggest compliment he's ever given her.  
Harley was important to him.  
That she reminded him of her was nothing but flattering.

Still, a part of her was scared to hear his answer.  
Perhaps his heart still belonged to Harley.  
The thought alone tied her stomach in a knot.  
That made her wonder…  
Maybe this… _attraction _was more than just an attraction...  
But she was being selfish right now.  
For now, she needed to push her own feelings and emotions aside.  
This wasn't about her, after all.  
This was about a very sad white-furred mouse.

"No. Yes. A little...", that certain sad mouse now stumbled before he fell silent again.  
Charley gave another soft squeeze in his hand to encourage him.  
"It's just… I dunno. It's not just Harley. It's this war… it fucks with my head, ya know? Big time. The things I've seen…"  
His voice broke and she glanced up at him.  
He wasn't really crying.  
He was just… _broken_.  
Fighting to get the pieces back together.

_God. _

If only she could take it all away…  
If only she could repair him.  
Show him how to be whole again.  
But she couldn't.  
No one could.

"I… I try to lock it all away, ya know. Most of the time, that works. I can't face it. I just can't. But it haunts me. In my sleep, when I'm awake… it's everywhere."

She listened to the sound of his voice, how different it sounded.  
Tears made her vision blurry.  
Her heart was already crying out loud.  
But she said nothing.  
She just held his hand and let him talk.  
She didn't want to scare him off.  
Not now he was -for the first time since they met- being completely open.  
It made her feel special.  
Special that he shared his pain with her.  
That he trusted her.  
She wasn't gonna violate that trust.  
Never.

"I just wish I was normal, sometimes. Ya know, just… _normal. _But I'm not. I'm fucked up. Broken beyond repair…"

Charley closed her eyes by hearing his despair.  
Who would've thought that the great Vinnie van Wham had the desperate wish to be... _normal_?  
It hurt her to the bone.  
She did understand why he felt this way, but come on…  
Where was that big ego of his when you needed it?  
Did he not see how special he was?  
That him being anything but normal made him who he was nowadays?  
A one of a kind, unique personality.  
Strong.  
Fearless.  
Caring.  
_Special.  
_The demons were part of the deal.  
If only he could embrace them…

"I thought I was normal. Before I met you, I mean", she started without thinking.  
"But you guys made me see that I'm not. And, looking back, I now know that being normal is… _boring."  
_Vinnie snorted and she looked up, a bit surprised by this sudden noise.  
He looked down on her with a small smile around his lips.  
A sad smile, though.  
But still a smile.  
"I think I have a bad influence on you, sweetheart. You're starting to sound like me."

Charley smiled back at him and softly poked her elbow in his side.  
"Don't give yourself all the credits, van Wham. This is something I figured out by myself."  
The left corner of his mouth curled up, but he said nothing.  
He also didn't walk away.  
That made clear to her that he was okay with her being here.  
With her talking to him.  
That was good.

So, when they both looked at the lake again, Charley continued.  
"Look, all I'm trying to say is that being normal isn't everything either. Next to boring, being normal is lonely too. It's the fact that you care what makes you special, and you _are_ special, Vinnie, whether you like it or not. Yeah, it comes with a price. But in the end, it's worth it, right?"  
She had just finished that sentence when Vinnie suddenly lifted her over his left leg and pulled her even closer to him.  
She rested her back against his strong torso and he let go of her hand.  
After putting both arms around her, he buried his nose in her hair.  
Her wet hair.  
"Maybe…", he then answered her question.

His warm and strong arms around her made her feel safe like never before.  
She could only hope it gave him the same feeling.  
Of being safe.  
Of being loved.  
_Loved…  
_Yes.  
There was definitely more than _just an attraction.  
_Without a doubt.

"I can't take away your pain, even though I wish I could. But I _can_ carry it with you. You're not alone. Try to remember that."  
"I will… Try."  
"That's good enough for me."  
And that was the truth.  
It _really_ was good enough.  
All she ever wanted was to be there for him.  
So that he's not alone.  
No one should be alone.

It had stopped raining.  
The sky slowly turned orange as the sun made its advance to wake up the city of Chicago, Illinois.  
To warm up the cold and troubled minds after a restless night full of darkness and pain.  
After all, only light could chase away darkness.  
Charley stared at the beautiful sight, how the sun almost seemed to _emerge_ out of the water.  
The glittering water, as if more than a million diamonds were floating close to the surface.  
It was breathtaking.

It was even more special to watch this from the safe and warm place she was in now.  
In the arms of a white-furred, trouble-minded but strong, fearless, caring, _special _mouse.  
If only they could stay here forever.  
Just the two of them.  
This night had been more than special.

Her fingers slid through the still moisty fur on his right arm as she stared at the sunrise.  
His hand gently took hers and their fingers entwined.  
She felt his chin resting on her head.  
God, she felt so peaceful.  
And she couldn't deny it any longer.  
It was time to face reality.  
It wasn't _just_ chemistry.  
It wasn't _just_ an attraction.  
It was beyond all that.  
_Love...  
_She was hopelessly in love with him.

It was as if Vinnie guessed her thoughts.  
Maybe he did.  
They did have telepathic abilities, after all.  
Either way…  
He said something that was gonna change both of their lives, forever.  
It was the one thing she needed to hear to know that everything was gonna be okay.  
To know that he wasn't alone anymore.  
No one should be alone.  
_Never. _

"I think I'm in love with you, Charlene Davidson…"

'_Do not be afraid, for I am with you - like breath itself.  
__Darkness will lead to light, silent one.  
__And in the light, forever awaits.' _

**-The End-**


End file.
